Obedience
by PomRocks16
Summary: After a major slip up, Skipper is forced to punish Private. He had to show him obedience the hard way, but he would not enjoy it. ONE-SHOT. RATED M. GENRE: HURT/COMFORT. CONTAINS BOTH PHYSICAL AND VERBAL ABUSE. READERS DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: WARNING. THIS FANFICTION CONTAINS MUCH VIOLENCE AND SOME VERBAL ABUSE. IS ONLY RECOMMENDED FOR AGES 12+. ENJOY. **

Private stood in the newest wreckage he had created from their seemingly simple mission. It seemed so easy spoken, but as soon as he had attempted it, he turned it into pure chaos. All he had to do was scale the six story building and reach the top, reuniting with his comrades above, bringing them to the goal of being able to practice their training skills easily without the slightest hint of disturbance.

Mainly caused by the perky otter, Marlene, or the annoying and blundering lemur 'king' and his fortress of ignorant servants.

He was half way up, climbing diligently, feeling the cool wind wisp under his feathers. His surroundings made him unaware of his ungraceful position, and he had become tangled. The rope seemingly wrapping and curling itself around his body, making him tumble in mid-air. This caused him to slip and plummet three feet down, only to be caught, seconds before hitting the ground.

He looked up at his rescuer, only to be stricken with fear from what he saw. His leader loomed above him, an angry expression covered his face. He had never been angrier with him.

Private just stood there, he shut his eyes and cowered, tucking his tail between his legs, just waiting for a slap to rain down upon him.

Skipper couldn't care less about his submission or punishment as he set the youth down and waddled off to the others, without the slightest word or phrase spoken. Private stood there, completely dumb-founded as to why Skipper hadn't said or done anything.

At first he shook it off as nothing, but soon became a bit frightened, what if a worse punishment was yet to be given? He shuttered in the thought as he looked down. He had noticed his teammates mumbling to each other right before taking off to the HQ. He followed, lingering behind them, still thinking about what was to become of him once they arrived back to their habitat. He played with the tip of his flippers and bit the bottom of his beak nervously.

None of his teammates had spoken, or even changed their dull expressions since they began walking. This couldn't help but to worry Private even further as he gulped.

They had finally made it to their destination._ "Home sweet home?" _thought Private awkwardly as he stepped inside.

He had noticed neither Kowalski nor Rico had followed, which only left him and his leader there in complete and udder silence.

Private burst out crying and begging before his leader could even speak, tail tucked beneath him once more as he got down on his knees, holding onto his leader's ankle, "I'm so sorry Skippah! I'm sorry I slipped up, I'm so sorry for ruining the entire mission, I –"

He was thoroughly interrupted by the older penguin as he kicked him of his leg, "You idiot! I ask you to do one simple task, and you can't even do that!" Skipper yelled as he whipped around and starred down at the weak and cowering penguin bellow him. He couldn't bear to look down at the shattered face of the innocent private. He didn't want to do this, but he simply couldn't tolerate his screw ups any longer. If this was what it took to straighten the young penguin out, then this is what he would do.

It was risky, possibly traumatizing his soldier like this, but at the same time, it was his last and only resort when it came to this. He had given him so many opportunities to pick himself up and dust himself off, but this was the last time.

Private, meanwhile still on the floor, placed his flipper's over his head and closed his eyes as he saw a large flipper coming down on him, he yelped as he was struck, right on his side, which was very uncommon, not to mention painful.

Skipper winced as he heard the tiny soldier squeal in pain. He also heard the loud smack as it echoed through the HQ, bouncing through the rooms' exterior. But he continued anyways.

"You have to understand that being the leader carries a lot of responsibilities, and you messing up this frequently in NOT making things any better!" another smack. This time on his right cheek. And with another hit, came another yelp.

Loud sobs and hiccups escaped Privates beak as he gasped in between his muffled words, "I-I'm sorry! _Hic! _I-I really didn't mean to, _hic!_ Mess up! Honest! _Hic!_" tears streamed down his face as they hit Skipper webbed toes, one by one.

Skipper's look softened, but afterwards became filled with rage again as he hit the penguin once more, this time on his left cheek.

Private continued on begging, until he was slapped again on either the side or cheek. He had given up on trying to talk his leader out of this torment, for with every word spoken came another strike, almost when he least expected it. He just stayed quiet, shivering and hiccupping as he looked to the ground in shame.

His eyes were red and puffy from the tears, and his cheeks and thighs burned like nothing he had ever felt before. He was miserable. He thought the torment would never end.

Just when he thought another hit was about to come, he felt a flipper begin to stroke his sore side in soothing circles, thus calming him down.

He looked up helplessly and saw his leader, now looking miserable as well as he spoke, in a now calm tone, "It's alright…it's over now…it was just a lesson…it's ok…" he looked at the quivering private, who looked like a small and battered puppy, who had been trampled dozens of times by a stampede of larger dogs.

Private lost it and grabbed onto Skipper, hugging him, and crying into his shoulder. Skipper let this slide as he proceeded to stroke Private's back. He let a single silent tear fall from his face. _"He still trusts me…after all this he still wants me to comfort him…inside he must hate me though…"_ thought Skipper as he got up, with Private in his wings. He cradled him like a new born chick as he placed him gently in his bunk.

"There…you must be tired…you can sleep in Private…" Skipper made sure to lay the shivering penguin down on his stomach, not wanting to cause anymore pain to his sore thighs. He sat at the edge of the bed, still trying to calm Private down by stroking his feathers.

"I'm, _hic, _sorry!" Private continued to apologize for his actions as he slowly fell asleep. Tears still marked his face.

Skipper sighed once he heard Private breathing smoothly, now in his dream land, as he got up and grabbed the lunacorn doll, neatly tucking it under Private's wing as he continued to walk through the HQ, trying to find a blanket to place over the youth as well.

As long as he lived, he never wanted to put Private or himself through that physical and mental torture ever again…


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: So, since this idea has crowded my mind for the longest of hours, I decided to make this longer! I hope you guys like it! Review if you have the time! **

Ever since his lesson, Private hadn't been the same. He wouldn't speak unless spoken to. He wouldn't eat unless given permission. He wouldn't even fall asleep without approval. He was miserable.

As was Skipper. Private didn't slip up, or make mistakes anymore, but he was no longer the cheery soul he used to be. And for what cause? Just for a stupid mistake.

All sunshine in the HQ had been ripped away and replaced with dark gloomy shadows within every corner. At least, that's what it seemed like.

Private wouldn't smile, or look at his teammates in the eye, and he would always keep his tail beneath him.

He felt numb, empty, and faithless. He lost hope. Hope for happiness. He felt as if every step he took was a mistake. Another punishment. A terrible slip up, causing pain. He felt like it was his fault, like he deserved what had happened, like he was unwanted, like he could just easily fade away, without being noticed.

Every night he would silently cry himself to sleep. Never to be heard by his teammates – but his leader. The same one that had hit him, and shown him an unforgettable trauma.

He would have nightmares about it as well. Though he wouldn't talk about them, or share them, he would just brush them off as if they were nothing.

He still remembered it vividly, like it had happened just the day before. He remembered the hitting, the screaming, the yelling, and the begging…all horrible things he wished he could forget.

He just couldn't.

Kowalski and Rico had known what happened, and thought it would be a suitable punishment, but they didn't know that this would be the outcome. The young soldier was slowly being engulfed by fear.

He was beginning to isolate himself, sleeping earlier, eating less frequently, and almost never talking. Almost going days without a single peep. And all his leader and teammates could do was watch from afar. As he destroyed himself.

Skipper had stopped slapping him. For every time he lifted his wing for any reason at all, Private would squeal and jump back. Skipper would wince.

He wanted so much to take back what he had done. But the damage was set. There was no way to reverse it.

He wanted to comfort the soldier, but could never get close enough to even speak to him. All Private would listen and respond to was a strict and commanding voice. But Skipper had a plan. A plan that would possibly end their dilemma.

Skipper spoke to his teammates about it, and they each agreed. Rico and Skipper had gone away to the park for the plan to take session.

Kowalski was the one to speak to the young private. After all, he was caring, and was careful and calculative in choosing his words.

Private just sat in his bunk, with an empty look in his eyes.

Kowalski approached him. "Private?" The youth just looked up. "Mind if I talk to you?" he asked.

Private really didn't feel like speaking at that moment or any other. But, since Kowalski was a higher ranking, he had to at least acknowledge him.

"Yes, Kowalski?" the slightly older penguin smiled a bit at hearing the British accent come from the others beak.

"Well, I know what happened. So does Rico. Skipper feels really bad about it, and we want the old Private back." Kowalski spoke in a soft tone of voice. A calm one.

Private just remained silent as he looked to the ground with only the words, "I'm not sure if he can come back…" a silent tear fell from his eyes and hit the stone cold pavement bellow him.

This was enough to break Kowalski's heart. He sighed as he patted Private's back. "Alright, but if you ever want to talk about it, I'm here." He smiled as he began to waddle out.

Before opening the hatch, he looked back and spoke, "Oh, and Private, Skipper told me to tell you, you can go to sleep now if you want, so…goodnight." He continued to open the hatch, but before he could shut it, he peered inside to see a worn out private collapsed on his bunk, already asleep.

Kowalski waddled away to the park, ready to tell the others the bad news that would surly break their hearts as well.

Private's condition worried him. He was like a little brother to him. He never wanted him to hurt. So he – along with the rest of the team – would try his hardest to help him get through. No matter what it took.


	3. Chapter 3

After an entire week of being avoided, Skipper had had it. He was going to talk to Private no matter what.

On this particular evening, both Kowalski and Rico had gone out for some snow cones. Leaving the HQ to Skipper and Private, who stood in the corner. Blinking more often to keep himself awake. He was afraid to ask his leader for permission to sleep. He usually just asked Kowalski, or even Rico. But since the 'lesson', he couldn't even look his own leader in the eyes.

Skipper waddled up to him. He placed a flipper on his comrade's shoulder. Private flinched, and in a panic, he jumped, climbing into his bunk and cowering. Skipper's heart sunk as he started speaking, in a calm and hushed tone, "Private…I'm so sorry…sorry for everything…I shouldn't have done…what I did. I shouldn't have put you through that trauma. I feel so guilty about it…I promise that I won't do that ever again…as long as I live…if you'd just come back to us…Private, we need you on the team. Without you, everything falls apart. Everything this unit has worked for this far. Gone, down the trash…just because I was too stupid to see that that stupid punishment would hurt THIS much…"

Private perked his head up at those words. He looked to his leader, who looked just as miserable and self-loathing as him. Was he…crying? No, he couldn't be! But…he was.

In soft sobs, his once strong leader was now breaking down. Private got up slowly, afraid to do anything further. But as he looked to Skipper, who was – or used to be his role model, something happened. His sympathy towards others returned to him, and drove him to hug his leader. He clung to him tightly, as if he was a teddy bear, and he was the small defenseless child, who only had the stuffed bear to protect him from all the goblins, ghouls, and monsters who he believed hid in his closet every night. And like that child, he wasn't going to let go.

Skipper stopped as he looked down to the small penguin bellow him. The one that afraid to even talk to him was now hugging him. His eyes welled up with tears once more as he hugged the private back.

"I'm so sorry." Skipper managed to choke out.

"Y-You don't have to be." whimpered Private as he buried his face into his leader's chest feathers.

Kowalski and Rico popped in through the hatch, fully unaware of the sight they were about to see.

As soon as they saw that the team was once again reunited, they joined in the hug. They were now all crying, all except Private, who had fallen asleep in his comrades arms amongst all the excitement in the lair.

Skipper didn't care whether or not he was crying for sadness, or for joy. In fact, all he cared about as that moment was being with Private. HE was consoled knowing that step by step, they could now bring Private to his former self again.

He knew for a fact, that he would NEVER teach Private, or anyone else, a lesson in obedience ever again…

_End_


End file.
